- Mr Johnson, of Bedford Row,
London. I am comparatively a novice - a - in these matters. But he was engaged
with James Putty in two hardly-contested elections, and there could scarcely be
a better initiation. Putty is one of the first men of the country as an agent -
a - on the Liberal side - a - eh, Johnson? I think Makepiece is - a - not
altogether a match for him, not quite of the same calibre - a - haud consimili
ingenio - a - in tactics - a - and in experience?«
    »Makepiece is a wonderful man, and so is Putty,« said the glib Johnson, too
vain not to be pleased with an opportunity of speaking, even when the situation
was rather awkward. »Makepiece for scheming, but Putty for management. Putty
knows men, sir,« he went on, turning to Harold; »it's a thousand pities that you
have not had his talents employed in your service. He's beyond any man for
saving a candidate's money - does half the work with his tongue. He'll talk of
anything, from the Areopagus, and that sort of thing, down to the joke about
Where are you going, Paddy? - you know what I mean, sir! Back again, says Paddy
- an excellent electioneering joke. Putty understands these things. He has said
to me, Johnson, bear in mind there are two ways of speaking an audience will
always like: one is, to tell them what they don't understand; and the other is,
to tell them what they're used to. I shall never be the man to deny that I owe a
great deal to Putty. I always say it was a most providential thing in the Mugham
election last year that Putty was not on the Tory side. He managed the women;
and if you'll believe me, sir, one fourth of the men would never have voted if
their wives hadn't driven them to it for the good of their families. And as for
speaking - it's currently reported in our London circles that Putty writes
regularly for the Times. He has that kind of language; and I needn't tell you,
Mr Transome, that it's the apex, which, I take it, means the tiptop - and nobody
can get higher than that, I think. I've belonged to a political debating society
myself; I've heard a little language in my time; but when Mr Jermyn first spoke
to me